SYDNEY Australia AP Telstra Corp. Ltd. is boosting its presence in Japan announcing Tuesday the purchase of a 10 percent stake in a Japanese network-service company INTEC Communications Inc. Telstra is also increasing its service offerings from its wholly owned local subsidiary Telstra Japan KK and boosting permanent staff to about 50 from the current 17. The INTEC business is forecast to post revenues of more than 50 billion yen US dlrs 410 million by its third year said Telstra's international managing director Ted Pretty. He said the asset base stood at about 12 billion yen from day one. He declined to reveal a purchase price for the stake. The new business represents certain infrastructure assets of parent company INTEC Inc. one of Japan's largest information technology companies which have been hived-off into the new joint venture vehicle. INTEC retains a 70 percent stake in INTEC Communications. Telstra joins Mitsubishi Corp. each with a 10 percent stake along with other minority players Nippon Life Insurance and Toshiba. The move comes as Telstra revamps its international presence. Market players have previously questioned Telstra's strategy which over this decade has been particularly focused on emerging markets rather than developed economies which Telstra is fast realizing it is better suited to serve. Pretty speaking with reporters by telephone from Japan said the company had now ``turned its attention to large markets targeting Japan Europe and the U.S. upgrading our profile and investment profile in these countries.'' Telstra's largest offshore commitment to date is in Vietnam where it has kicked in some 200 million Australian dollars U.S. dlrs 126 million developing networks there. Telstra's local subsidiary has also applied for a Type 1 carrier licence in Japan which allows it to offer a full suite of telecommunication services in Japan. Pretty said he hoped the new licence would be awarded early in the new year. pjs APW19981201.0440.txt.body.html APW19981201.0426.txt.body.html